


And what if I'm a girl?!

by YUGottaBeSoRood



Series: Plance Disney Adventure (almost) [8]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mulan (1998) Fusion, F/F, F/M, M/M, Pidge just wanted to help her dad :(
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:20:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28550775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YUGottaBeSoRood/pseuds/YUGottaBeSoRood
Summary: This is the story of a young maiden who learns that her weakened and lame father is to be called up into the army in order to fight the invading Huns. Her brother cannot join in his place thanks to him being needed as a medic instead on the other side of the country. Kathlyn Holt, the maiden of this story, knowing that he would never survive the rigours of war in his state, decides to disguise herself and join in his place. Unknown to her is that her ancestors are aware of this and to prevent it, they order a tiny disgraced dragon, Mushu to join her in order to force her to abandon her plan. He agrees, but when he meets Pidge, he learns that she cannot be dissuaded and so decides to help her in the perilous times ahead.Instead...she finds friends, a love interest and the honour she has been desperately searching for in the village, right on the battle field. Is this what she was born to do? Will she succeed in keeping her identity hidden? Or is all of this in vain?
Relationships: Hunk/Shay (Voltron), Lance/Pidge | Katie Holt
Series: Plance Disney Adventure (almost) [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2035456
Comments: 3
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Heavily inspired by the script of 'Mulan' the Disney Movie from 1998.

_A Chinese soldier walks around his post. Suddenly, a bird of prey hits the back of his head. The hawk lets out a call. The soldier walks over to the edge of the wall. A hook comes flying up, followed by many more._

_"_ _We're under attack! Light the signal!" The soldier says, rushing to the door, taking him towards the signal post up above him._ _The door opens, revealing a couple of Huns. The soldier climbs up a ladder._ _The soldier manages to get up. He stares with wide eyes as the leader of the Huns climbs up after him and starts lighting the signal with a torch, other signals go on all the way along the Great Wall. The soldier smirks._

_"Now all of China knows you're here." The leader smirks._

_"Perfect." He picks up the flag and sets it on fire. The Game has begun._

* * *

The Chinese General and two soldiers walk into the Emperor's chamber and bow. 

"Your Majesty, the Huns have crossed our Northern Border!" 

"Impossible! No one can get through the Great Wall--!" Coran tried to intervene, the emperor's right hand man. He is silenced with a raised hand from the Emperor. The general continues.

"Zarkon is leading them. We'll set up defenses around your palace immediately." The Emperor, Emperor Alfor, narrowed his eyes. 

"No! Send your troops to protect my people! Coran!" The right hand man bowed. 

"Yes, your Highness."

"Deliver conscription notices throughout all the provinces. Call up reserves, and as many new recruits as possible." The general frowned. 

"Forgive me, your Majesty, but I believe my troops can stop him--" The Emperor silenced him. 

"I wouldn't take any chances, General. 'A single grain of rice can tip the scale; one man may be the difference between victory and defeat.' as my father often says." Allura, the emperor's daughter, added. The ruler smiled at his daughter's wisdom. 

"Indeed." The leader added and the general bowed down. 

* * *

Pidge was in her room, looking at her hand as she was writing on it.

"Quiet and demure...graceful, polite, delicate, refined, poised..." She frowns, tapping her chin then she picks up a paintbrush and makes a mark on her arm.

"Aha! Punctual!" She says, satisfied. Suddenly, a rooster start cawing. Her eyes widen as she remembers what time it is. 

"SHIT! Bae Bae! BAE BAE!" She starts walking, blowing on her arm, when she finally sees the sleeping dog.

"Ah! There you are!" She says, waking the dog up. Bae Bae jumps up, eager to play. 

"Who's the smartest doggy in the world? C'mon, smart girl! Can you help me with my chores today?" She coos. She ties a sack of chicken feed to his back, complete with a pole and a bone attached. Bae Bae immediately chases the bone, running promptly into a wall and then out the door, scattering grain everywhere. 

Back in the garden, at the alter, stood Pidge's father. Sam Holt. Praying. 

"Honorable Ancestors...please help Mulan impress the Matchmaker today." Bae Bae, followed by a herd of chickens, bursts into the family temple. He sighs.

"Please, please help her." He says. 

"Father, I brought you some-Whoop!" Pidge bangs into her father, he catches the tea pot on his cane while the cups hit the ground and shatters. 

"Katie!" He father exclaims, angered. She was late. 

"I brought a spare!" She says, taking out another cup. Her father narrowed his eyes as she tipped the pot and poured tea in his cup and handed it to him. 

"Katie..."

"Remember, the doctor said three cups of tea in the morning." She said. 

"Katie." 

"Oh! And three at night." Pidge added. Her father groaned. 

"Katie. You should already be in town. We're counting on you to--" She rolled her eyes and finished his sentence. 

"Uphold the family honor. Don't worry, Father. I won't let you down. Wish me luck!" She said, waving, as she started leaving. Her father watched her leave and sighed, turning around. 

"I'm going to...pray some more." 

Meanwhile, in town, her mother, brother and her grandmother were waiting for Pidge. 

"Colleen, where is your daughter? The Matchmaker is not a patient woman." One of the women who were supposed to dress Pidge up said. Matt snorted and her mother smacked him over his head. 

"Of all the days to be late! I should have prayed to the ancestors for luck..." Colleen added. 

"Pidge will come, mom. It will be fine." Matt added. 

"How lucky can they be? They're dead. Besides, I've got all the luck we'll need." Her grandmother said. She holds up a wicker cage with a cricket inside. 

"This is your chance to prove yourself." She closes her eyes and steps off the sidewalk.

"Grandma! No!" Matt yelled. The woman started crossing, causing havoc behind her. Colleen covered her mouth as she watched and both the younger Holts sighed as the elder woman managed to pass through the intersection unharmed. 

"Yup! This cricket's a lucky one!" Finally, Pidge shows up. She comes riding up on Khan, and hops off.

"I'm here!" Her brother snorts and her mother frowns.

"What? But, Mama, I had to--" The mother grabs her hand and pulls her inside. Her brother following after them, shaking his head. 

"None of your excuses. Now, let's get you cleaned up." Matt rolls his eyes and mocks their mother, making Pidge giggle. 

"You'll be fine Pidge. I can at least see that brilliant brain of yours." Matt whispers to her as they walk. She smiles in appreciation at her brother. 

"This is what you give me to work with?" The woman says, scoffing at Pidge. Matt frowns and scrunches his face up at that. 

"Well, honey, I've seen worse. We're going to turn this into a beautiful bride!" They say as they undress her and push her into the water. Her brother turns around and looks away. 

"It's freezing!" Pidge said, her teeth chattering. Her mother chuckles. 

"It would've been warm, if you were here on time."

"We'll have you, washed, dried, primped and polished till you glow with pride! Just my recipe for instant bride and you'll bring honor to your family." The woman told Pidge as it started cleaning her up. Pidge spurted out the water that got in her mouth. 

"Pidge...? What's this?" Colleen asked as she picked Pidge's arm and held it to see better. 

"BUAHAH! YOU TOOK NOTES?!" Her brother said, turning to her. 

"Hold this. We're going to need more luck than I thought." Pidge's grandmother said as she handed the cricket to Colleen. Matt frowned. 

"I think Pidge is perfectly fine by me." He said, rolling his eyes. Colleen giggled. 

"That's because you came out the same loins." Pidge then got taken to get a hair do. They managed to brush her hair and put it into a high bun. As she walked out of the place to get to where she was supposed to get her kimono, they passed two elder men who were playing a game. Pidge took a glance and her eyes widened. She looked at her brother and he made a small sign to go for it. She moved one of the pieces and the man she helped beamed in awe as the other's eyes widened at the loss. 

Pidge hated being dressed by others. Especially when she couldn't wear pants like her brother. Matt was sitting in the doorway, chuckling, as Pidge's mother and two other ladies were fussing over what she needed to get dressed with. They pulled onto a silk ribbon around Pidge's waist and she felt all the air leave her. Matt hissed as he watched and her grandmother, who just got behind Matt laughed.

As they walked outside of that place and were taking Pidge to get her face painted like a clowns, as she called it, she saw some kids play fighting and a girl with a doll. The boys stole the girls doll and Pidge frowned. She managed to snatch it away and gave it back to the girl who laughed and started skipping away. 

Pidge's face was painted by her mother. When Colleen was done, the woman smiled, looking at her beautiful daughter. 

"There, you're ready!" Colleen said. The grandmother then walked in. 

"Not yet! An apple for serenity...A pendant for balance...Beads of jade for beauty you must proudly show and...Now, add a cricket, just for luck and even you can't blow it!" Her Nonna said. Colleen gasped as Matt started laughing. 

"Nonna!" Matt said through his laughter as the mother was shooting the elder woman, glares. Pidge rolled her eyes. Pidge walked outside of the building and looked up. 

"Ancestors, hear my plea...please don't let me make a fool of me and to not uproot my family tree. Please...Keep my father standing tall." Pidge said. Pidge's mother rushed and handed Pidge her umbrella. Pidge smiled and thanked her with a nod, rushing to get in line as well. 

"Scarier than the Undertaker,  
We are meeting our matchmaker!" The girls started singing and the townsfolks continued. 

"Destiny, guard our girls,  
Help our future as it fast unfurls  
Please look kindly on these cultured pearls  
Each a perfect porcelain doll." Pidge was looking at the girls in front of her and mimicked their position and walk. They got to the front of the house and they all got on their knees and opened their umbrellas, hiding behind them. The woman emerged. She was fat and looked pretty ugly. Of course, Pidge won't say that out loud. It would ruin her chances. 

"Kathlyn Holt?" The Matchmaker asked. Pidge got to her feet. 

"Present!" She said. The woman scoffed at her. 

"Speaking without permission..." The woman said as she noted something. Pidge immediately shrunk down. Matt frowned and snarled. 

"Who spit in her bean curd?" Matt said, crossing his arms. The grandmother snorted and Colleen shut them both up with an angry glare. Pidge went in after the woman and the doors were slammed shut. The woman started inspecting Pidge. 

"Too skinny...not good for bearing sons." Pidge blinked in surprise at the blunt words. That's when she noticed the cricket that jumped on the woman's shoulder. She managed to catch it but it kept trying to escape. When the Matchmaker turned around, she had to hide the cricket in her mouth. 

"Recite the Final Admonition." Pidge nodded with her mouth closed and pulled out her paper fan, using it to cover the fact she just spat out a cricket. 

"Fulfill your duties, calmly and..." She glances down at the crib notes written on her arm, which are smeared slightly. 

"respectively. Um, reflect before you... snack-- Act! I meant act... This shall bring you honor and glory." Pidge concluded. _S_ he fans herself, the matchmaker grabs the fan and searches it for cheat notes. Finding none, she grabs Pidge by the arm and pulls her toward a table. The writing comes off in her hand. The small girl stares in horror as it happens, realizing the gravity of the situation. 

"This way. Now, pour the tea. To please your future in-laws, you must demonstrate a sense of dignity..." The Matchmaker rubs her hand over her mouth, and the ink rubs off. 

"refinement. You must also be poised." Pidge was staring at the woman in front of her with her mouth agape and pours the tea but misses the cup, then regains her composure and quickly fills the teacup. She also notices the cricket relaxing happily in the tea. The Matchmaker takes the teacup. 

"Um, pardon me..." Pidge said, politely and sweetly in a quiet voice. 

"And silent!" The Matchmaker adds. Pidge bites her lip, her gears going miles per minutes. 

"Could I just take that back? One moment..." She grabs for the cup. The Matchmaker fights for the teacup, and they both fall back, the tea spilling all over the Matchmaker. The cricket hops down her dress.

"Why, you clumsy! ... Oh! Ah! Woo!" She trips over the fire-pot, spilling the coals and then sitting on them, the bottom of her dress smoking. The Matchmaker takes Pidge's fan.

"W-Wait don't! It will only set it on--" It bursts into flames.

"Fire..." Pidge says, hissing. The matchmaker runs around screaming. 

Outside everyone was staring with wide eyes at the door thanks to the sounds coming from inside. Colleen covered her mouth as Matt and the grandmother looked at each other. 

"I think it's going well, don't you...?" The grandmother said. Matt slowly shook his head. The matchmaker runs outside, screaming.

"Put it out! Put it out! PUT IT OUT!" She yells. Pidge comes outside and throws tea over her, putting out the fire. Embarrassed, she hands the teapot to the Matchmaker and quickly walks toward Colleen, Matt and her Nonna. 

"You are a DISGRACE! You may look like a bride, but you will NEVER bring your family honor!" Matt frowns and snarls. 

"WATCH WHO YOU'RE TALKING TO YOU--" Pidge catches his arm and shakes her head. People start to walk away, whispering. The Matchmaker leaves furious.

"Pidge..." Matt says, reaching for his sister, but she was already leaving. 

Back at the Holt farm, Pidge is greeted with a warm smile by her father, but, humiliated, she turns away and takes Khan to the stable. Her father was confused, until her mother started explaining. Matt would butt in to help Pidge but...as she watched from afar, she could see the embarrassment she actually was. She went over to the water to wipe her face then sat under the blossom tree. Her father slowly made his way towards her and sat on the bench next to her. 

"My, my, what beautiful blossoms we have this year. But look, this one's late. I bet when it blooms, it will be the most beautiful of all." Pidge smiled as her father put a flower comb in her hair. Her father smiled back. But then, the drums rolled. 

"What is it?" Pidge asked. Her father got up and frowned. Imperial soldiers and Coran come rode over a hill and got to the front of their home. The village all started gathering. Pidge was about to go after her brother and father who were exiting, but her mother stopped her. 

"Katie, stay inside." Her mother said as she went outside. Her nonna coughed and showed her where she could climb on the wall. She nodded and easily got on. 

"Citizens! I bring a proclamation from the Imperial City! The Huns have invaded China! By order of the Emperor, one man from every family must serve in the Imperial Army." Pidge's eyes widened in horror as she heard that. Huns? But how...? Oh. They must have seen the wall as an offense. They're not returning the favor on a bigger scale. Oh course...they see this as a test of strength. Foolish. 

"The Chow Family!" A man stepped forward and took a scroll. 

"The Yee Family!" An older man was about to take the scroll, when their son stopped him. 

"I will serve the Emperor in my father's place." The son said and took the scroll. 

"The Holt Family. Both a medic and a fighter. The medic shall leave with us at once." Pidge's eyes widened. 

"Matt...??" She got off the wall and exited into the streets. Her father took one of the scrolls and bowed. Matt then looked at his sister with a saddened look. 

"The soldier." Coran added, waiting with a second scroll. The Holts all watched with wide eyes as Sam Holt left his cane into his wife's hands and started limping towards the royal guards. 

"I am ready to serve the Emperor." Pidge rushed to him. 

"Father, you can't go!" She pleaded. Matt tried to get to her but she slipped right through. 

"Katie!" Pidge got between the guard and her father. 

"Please, sir, my father has already fought for--"

"Silence!" Pidge got slapped and stumbled back. Matt rushed to her side. 

"PIDGE!" He said, catching her by the arm. 

"You will do well to teach your daughter to hold her tongue in a man's presence." Coran added towards her father. The guards watched with a saddened look as Coran took the scroll from them and gave it to Sam Holt. 

"Kathlyn. You dishonor me..." Pidge felt those words like a blow in her guts. 

"Father. You can't be serious--" Matt tried to say. 

"Report tomorrow at the Moo-Shung Camp." Sam Holt bowed. 

"Yes sir." 

"The Chu Family! The Chang Family! The Yong Family!--" 

And that's how Matt left to go to war. And tomorrow, it was her fathers turn. 


	2. Chapter 2

Sam Holt was a stubborn man. A fighter. In his bedroom, hidden in his closet, he still held his armor and sword. Pidge watched from the shadow as he practiced. He practices techniques, but his leg gives out and he falls against a pillar, panting. There was no way she would let her father go in such a state. At the dinner table, as all were sitting in total silence, Matt's chair empty, Pidge spoke up. 

"You shouldn't have to go!" She says. Her father frowns. 

"Katie." 

"There are plenty of young men to fight for China!" She argues. Her father stands his ground. If there was one common trait in the Holt family...It was stubbornness. 

"It is an honor to protect my country and my family." Pidge frowns and snarls. 

"So you'll die for honor."

"I will die doing what's right." Pidge's eyes widened. 

"But if you--" Her father slammed his hands into the table. 

"I know my place. It is time you learned yours, Kathlyn!" Her mother and grandmother gasped. Pidge's face darkened as she sat up and left. 

"Katie..." Her father said. But it was useless. She was already leaving. 

"I...I may have gone too far..." The father admitted. 

"You think?" Her grandmother said, sarcastically. Pidge was now is sitting in a statue of a dragon, crying. It was raining. Through the window of her house, she can see her mother and father talking. Her father picks up the candle and blows it out. She thinks for a minute, then a plan comes in her mind. She walks into the Family Temple and lights a stick, placing it in a hanging statue of a small dragon and prays. She runs into her parent's room, taking the scroll and leaving her hair comb, the same flower comb her father gave her. Taking her father's sword, she cuts her hair short and puts on her father's armor. She looks at herself and feels a small bit of pride overtake her as she realizes that she's always dreamt of having short hair. Going out to the stable, she mounts Khan and sets off for the army. 

Her grandmother wakes up because of a thunder. The woman rushes to the parents bedroom. 

"KATIA IS GONE!" The woman yells in panic. 

"What? It can't be--" Her father says, waking up, then he spots the comb. 

"KATIE!! PIDGE!!" He yells as he starts rushing outside. The doors were open wide. 

"Y-You must go after her. She could be killed!!" Her mother said, tearing up. Her father looked in the distance with a solemn look and lowered his head. 

"If I reveal her? She will be." Her father said. Colleen starts weeping in the grandmother's arms and her husband comes to hug them both. 

"Ancestors, hear our prayer. Watch over Katia..." Pidge's Nonna prays.

* * *

A small rumble...In the Family Temple, the characters on a tombstone light up, and they turn into the Great Ancestor. He sits on his tomb and sighs.

"Mushu, awaken." A small hanging dragon statue shakes and smokes.

"I live! So, tell me, what mortal needs my protection, Great Ancestor. You just say the word, and I'm there." The Ancestor rolled his eyes. 

"Mushu..."

"And lemme say something, anyone who's foolish enough to threaten OUR family, vengeance will be MINE! Grr...arrgh..." The Ancestor pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. 

"Mushu! These are the family guardians. They...?" The spirit said, pointing up. The small dragon slouched down. 

"Protect the family..." The Ancestor nodded. 

"And you, O Demoted One..." He said, with a hint of sarcasm. 

"I ring the gong..." The small dragon said, pouting. The spirit nodded again. 

"That's right. Now, wake up the Ancestors..." He said, gesturing to the other tombs. Mushu grumbled and picked up the gong and stick and started ringing it. 

"One family reunion coming right up. Okay, people, people, look alive! Let's go, c'mon, get up! Let's move it! Rise and shine! Y'all way past the beauty sleep thing. Come on!" The spirits one by one, awoke. And the chaos started. 

"I knew it, I knew it. That Kathlyn was a troublemaker from the start.

"Don't look at me, she gets it from your side of the family!

"She's just trying to help her father!"

"But if she's discovered, Sam Holt will be forever shamed. Dishonor will come to the family. Traditional values will disintegrate!"

 ****"Not to mention they'll lose the farm!"

"My children never caused such trouble; they all became acupuncturists!"

"Well, we can't all be acupuncturists!"

"No! Your great-granddaughter had to be a CROSS-DRESSER!"

"Let a guardian bring her back!"

"No! The swiftest!"

"No, send the wisest!" The Great Ancestor grew tired of their bickering and raised his voice, quieting them. 

"SILENCE! We will send the most powerful of all." The spirit said. The other ancestors started nodding and agreeing. Mushu smirked. 

"Okay, okay, I get the Jif. I'll go." Silence. Then a roar of laughter. 

"Well, y'all don't think I can do it! Watch this here! Ah-hah! Jump back, I'm pretty hot. But I don't have to singe nobody to prove no point!" He said, smirking, as he blew a small itty bitty tiny flame. 

"You had your chance to protect the Holt Family."

"Your misguidance led Holt Thang to disaster!" Someone scoffed. 

"Yeah, thanks a lot." A guy with a decapitated head said. Everyone hissed and winced. 

"And your point is?" Mushu asked. The Great Ancestor pulled Mushu off his old pedestal where he climbed. 

"The point is, we will be sending a REAL dragon to retrieve Katie. Or, as her brother apparently calls her,...Pidge." 

"What? What?! I'm a real dragon!" Mushu argues. He was the size of a salamander and could probably light up a match with his fire. But hey, he'd do good in a puppet show. 

"You're not even worthy of this thought! Now, awaken the Great Stone Dragon!" The Great Ancestor said, throwing him out with his gong and stick. Mushu groaned. 

"Just one chance. Is that too much to ask? I mean, it's not like it'll kill you...Maybe her but...eh." He grumbled as he started walking. He got to the dragon statue and looked up. He started hitting the gong. 

"Yo, Rocky, wake up! You gotta go fetch Pidge! C'mon, boy! Go get her! Go on! C'mon!" Nothing. He climbs up on the statue, dragging the gong.

"Hello? Helloooo? HELLO! Uh-oh..." He hits the ear of the dragon with the gong, and it falls off. Suddenly, the entire statue falls apart. Mushu gasped in horror. 

"Uh...Stoney? Stoney...Oh, man, they're gonna kill me!!"

"Great Stone Dragon! Have you awakened?" Mushu yelped and held the dragon's head up from behind the bushes. 

"Uh, yes, I just woke up! Um, I am the Great Stone Dragon! Good morning! I will go forth and fetch Katie- or Pidge! Did- did I mention that I am the Great Stone Dragon?" The Ancestor gestured for him to go. 

"Go! The fate of the Holt family rests in your- err...claws." 

"Don't even worry about it. I will not lose fate." He loses his balance and tumbles down the hill, the dragon head landing on top of him, squishing him, almost like a bug. 

"Ow...That's just great, now what? I'm doomed, and all because Ms. Man decided to take a little drag show on the road!" Mushu said, getting out from underneath the head. That's when the cricket came and started talking. Mushu's eyes widened.

"Go GET her! What's the matter with you? After this Great Stone Humptey Dumptey mess, I'd have to bring her back with a medal to get back in the Temple!---Wait-a-minute! That's it! I make Pidge a war hero, and they'll be begging me to come back to work! That's the master plan! Oh, you've done it now, man!!" Mushu said, jumping up in excitement. The cricket made another noise as it started running after the small dragon.

"And what makes you think you're coming with?" Mushu asked. 

"Chirp."

"You're LUCKY? Do I look like a sucker to you?" Mushu asked, crossing his arms. 

"Chirp." The two started running again. 

"What do you mean, a loser? What if I pop one of you antennae of and throw it across the yard, then who's the loser, or me--?"

* * *

Fire. A whole village on fire as a matter of fact. The hawk circling it being the only sign of life apart from the smoke raising up like it had a mind of it's own. The falcon dives right where the Huns come to a halt at Zarkon's command. Two men are thrown in front of them. They are Chinese. Zethrid, one of Sendak's most trusted soldiers, smirks in triumph as she throws them to his feet. 

"Imperial Scouts." Ezor chided from Zethrid sides. The two were a power team. They most likely took them down together. 

"Nice work, gentlemen. You've found the Hun army." Sendak says, walking forward towards them. Everyone around them laughs. 

"The Emperor will stop you!" One of the soldiers said. Sendak wheezes. 

"Old man Alfor?! Stop me! He invited me. By building his wall, he challenged my strength. Well, I'm here to play his game." Zarkon says. He looks at the men who were pitifully trying to look unphased. He chuckles and nods for them to go. 

"Go! Tell your Emperor to send his strongest armies. I'm ready." The two took off running. Zarkon however was unsatisfied. 

"How many men does it take to deliver a message?" He asked. Sendak, emerging from the crowd, pulled back his bow. 

"One."

* * *

"Stupid men...If I go in that camp I don't know shit...What do men do...act dumb 24/7 and think they're superior? Like: Excuse me, where do I sign in? Ah, I see you have a sword. I have one, too. They're very manly, and strong." Pidge says in a mocking way as she cleans up her shoes after the whole walk in the rain. Her horse starts rolling in laugher and she groans. 

"Stupid men. Their intelligence is probably as big as my foot." She said, rolling her eyes. Khan, her horse, snorted. Pidge smiled and rubbed his snout. 

"You're smarter than them, don't worry. They're just a bunch of baboons...Ugh, it'd take a miracle to get me in the army." The horse snorted in satisfaction. 

"Did I hear someone ask for a miracle! Lemme hear ya say, "Aaah!"" Pidge blinked in confusion and tilted her head, alongside her horse. Mushu was standing behind a rock, in front of a small fire, his shadow appearing on a big boulder behind him, showing him even taller than Pidge if not twice her size. 

"Ah?" She said, confused. Mushu hummed. 

"That's close enough...Get ready, Kathlyn Holt, Pidge, your salvation is at hand, for I have been sent by your ancestors to guide you through your masquerade. So heed my words, cause if the army finds out you're a girl, the penalty is death." Pidge raises a brow. 

"Anddd...you are? Apart from very small." 

"I- wait wait...how do you know I'm small?!" Mushu said, coming out from behind some rocks. Pidge shrugged. 

"I may be a girl but I am not idiot. The color of the light clearly showed a fire and when you get close to the light source the shadow cast becomes bigger. It's an easy rule to remember." Mushu opened his mouth and closed it. 

"Touché. I am the guardian of lost souls! I am the powerful, the pleasurable, the indestructible Mushu." Pidge looked the small salamander-dragon up and down and nodded slowly. 

"Ah-hah...Aight, this mission's doomed." Pidge said, shrugging. 

"HEY! I know I am small, ok?! I am travel-sized, for your convenience. If I was my REAL size, your cow here would die of fright." Khan scoffs in disagreeing. 

"DOWN, Bessy. My powers are beyond your mortal imagination. For instance, my eyes can see straight through your armor." Pidge's eyes widened as she smacked the small dragon. 

"PERVERT!" Mushu groaned and rolled his eyes. 

"Alright! That's it! Dishonor! Dishonor on your whole family! Make a note of this. Dishonor on you, dishonor on your cow, dis-"

"Chill! Sheesh. You're sent to help me anyways so you don't really get a say, do ya?" Mushu frowned. 

"The fact you pick on things so fast amazes me...Then you're gonna have to trust me. And don't you slap me no more. You clear on that? Alright. Okey-dokey! Let's get this show on the road! Cricket, get the bags! Let's move it heifer!" Mushu said to Kahn. The horse almost wanted to step on him. 

They got to the camp and Pidge looked at all the men from behind a pillar of the walls built outside. 

"Okay, this is it! Time to show them your man-walk. Shoulders back, chest high, feet apart, head up, and strut! Two three, break that bone, two, three, and work it! Two three- AGH!" Pidge shoves him in her armor. 

"Would you quit it?! I get they're brainless but they can at least walk like a human. Jeez, you sure you're all knowing?" Mushu rolled his eyes. 

"Fine Misses Man. Go." Pidge rolled her eyes and started walking. Mushu's brows raised as he noticed she stomped her feet, didn't care about posture and was totally rolling with it. 

"Say...you sure you're not a man?" Pidge scoffed and whispered to him. 

"You sure you don't want me to shove you into Khan's mouth?" Mushu shrunk. 

"Point taken." They pass men trimming their toenails and picking their noses. Pidge frowns. 

"Baboons..." She mutters. 

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Mushu asks. Pidge chuckles sarcastically. 

"They're disgusting. No."

"No, they're men. And you're gonna have to act just like them, so pay attention." Pidge scrunched her face up. 

"I think I'll be the first man with common sense. Thanks. At least I'll use chopsticks for something else..." Pidge said, eyeing the guy picking his toenails with chopsticks. Mushu scrunched his face up. 

"And to think we're the same gender...yuck." 

"Look! This tattoo will protect me from harm!" Said one of the recruits. Keith, the one he was talking to, smirked. 

"Hmmm..." He then punches the recruit. Hunk, his friend that was standing behind him, snorts. Lotor starts laughing as Shiro groans and rolls his eyes. 

"I hope you can get your money back! BUAHAHAH!" Lotor said, laughing. Keith started chuckling as well. 

"You're all unbelievable." Shiro said, shaking his head in disapproval. 

"I don't think I can do this..." Pidge said, looking at the guy that was now knocked down. 

"It's all attitude! Be tough, like this guy here!" Mushu said, pointing at Keith. The guy with dark hair and a mullet raised a brow. 

"What are you looking at?" Keith asks, spitting. Pidge looks at the ground. 

"Germs..." She says, scrunching her face up ever so slightly. 

"What are you, a pansy?" Keith said, almost chuckling at her answer. 

"Punch him. It's how men say hello." Pidge looked at Mushu unimpressed. 

"Punch?" She says, surprised. Keith looks surprised as well.

"Oh, you want to punch me?" Pidge blinks in surprise. 

"What?! No- HOLY JESUS!" Keith was already trying to throw a punch but Pidge knew a bit about living with a sibling and that was dodging. The punch made Keith trip right into Hunk. 

"Oh, Keith...You've made a friend!" Hunk said, smiling. Keith rubbed his head. Keith turned around and started rounding his arm back. 

"Keith, relax and chant with me." Hunk said, picking Keith up in a hug. 

"nanuami tofu dah..."

"nonuamitofudah....ahhhh..." Keith relaxed. Hunk smiled warmly. Pidge thought the chubby guy was nice. 

"Feel better?"

"Ah, you ain't worth my time. Chicken boy." Pidge's eyes widened. 

"What did you just call me, Mullet? You brainless baboon!" Pidge said, snarling. That was one of Pidge's problems...pride. She didn't have much but...she liked to protect it. 

"Why you--Rrraaaaghhh!" Keith lounged himself towards her. She yelped and ducked. The punch ends up being taken by Lotor. 

"Oops...Sorry Lotor...HEY!" He reaches down to catch Pidge that was now crawling away but Lotor kicks Keith into Hunk. They start fighting, with Hunk swiping to get them off. Pidge scrambles away.

"Hey! There he goes!" They chase Pidge through a tent but she gets an idea when she sees which tent this is. The gang of three stop abruptly at the end of the food line. Hunk accidently knocks everyone over, like dominoes, and finally the pot overturns. Everyone gets up and advances towards the three as Pidge gets away.

"Welp shit..." Keith says as they were now the main people to blame for the food waste. 

"Hunk...you big big dummy..." Lotor says, facepalming as their impending doom approaches. Pidge chuckles when the fight starts. It was funny to watch. 

Inside the Captain's Tent however, more important things were happening. The General was speaking to Lance, Coran being there as well. 

"The Huns have struck here, here, and here. I will take the main troops up to the Tung Chow Pass and stop Zarkon before he destroys this village." The general said. 

"Excellent strategy, sir! I do love surprises." Coran added. Lance looked at the map, thoughtfully. 

"You will stay and train the new recruits. When Coran believes you're ready, you will join us...Captain..." Lance's eyes widened as the general hands him his sword. 

"Captain..?" He says, almost hesitantly, but taking the sword nonetheless. 

"Oh! This is an enormous responsibility, General! Perhaps a soldier with more experience?" The general hummed and rubbed his chin. 

"Number one in his class, extensive knowledge of training techniques...an impressive military lineage...I believe Lance McLain will do an excellent job." Lance nodded solemnly. 

"Oh I will! I won't let you down! This is--I mean...Yes sir!" Lance says, for a second almost forgetting his manners in front of the general...that however was his father. 

"Very good, then. We'll toast China's victory at the Imperial City. I'll expect a full report in three weeks." The general said, the last part directed to Coran. 

"And believe me, I won't leave anything out." Coran added to Lance as both him and the general stepped outside. Lance puffed his chest up as he tied his sword to his belt. 

"Captain Lance McLain. Leader of China's finest troops. No, the greatest troops of all time." Lance said, nodding satisfied at the name. 

"Most impressive..." Coran says, watching in horror as the group of men were fighting like animals. Lance's father shook his head and stepped over a man who lost his fight. 

"Good luck, Captain! Yah!" He rides off, followed by two lines of soldiers on horses.

"Good luck...Father..." Lance said, looking after the leaving men. He then turns his attention to the problem at hand. 

"Day one." Coran says with an evil smirk. Lance sighs. 

"Soldiers!" Lance says. Everyone freezes and everyone around the trio points at them. Shiro only face-palms. 

"THEY STARTED IT!" Keith, Hunk and Lotor look around. 

"NO! HE STARTED IT!" The three said, pointing at Pidge who was leaning against a pillar and watching. She spurts and sits up. 

"How did I start this?! Ayeee...." She stops and smiles awkwardly as Lance gets in her face to tell her off. 

"I don't need anyone causing trouble in my camp." Pidge cleared her throat. 

"Listen. This is all a big misunderstanding--" 

"What's your name?" Pidge froze. Welp...shit. 

"Uhh...Uhh...uh.." 

"Your commanding officer just asked you a question!" Coran said. Alright Pidge think! You have that big brain of yours but NOW you can't think of anything?! 

"I've got a name...and it's a boy's name, too...haha..." She said, in attempt to buy her time. 

"Keith! How 'bout Keith?" Mushu says.

"HE'S Keith." Pidge says to Mushu. Lance raises a brow then frowns. 

"I didn't ask for HIS name, I asked for yours!" Pidge almost wanted to smack that lizard dragon. 

"Uh...Ah-chu!" Mushu said. 

"Ah-Chu? What the fuck?" Pidge said. 

"Gesundheit...?" Lance says, a bit confused. That's when she gets an idea. 

"Pidge! Pidge Holt! Sir." She says. Lance's eyes widened. 

"Let me see your conscription notice." She hands him the scroll. 

"Sam Holt...Wait...You're from THE Holt Family?" Pidge nods. 

"I didn't know Sam Holt had another son..." Coran adds. Pidge chuckles warily. 

"Er, he...doesn't talk about me much?" She said, shrugging. Lance frowned a bit but sighed. 

"Okay, gentlemen, thanks to your new friend Pidge, you'll spend tonight picking up every single grain of rice. Tomorrow, the real work begins." Pidge's mouth fell open. 

"I wasn't even in the fight what the--" But everyone was grumbling already. Great...those three idiots and that salamander pet ruined her, didn't they? What a beautiful way to start off war. 


	3. Chapter 3

Ah, mornings are beautiful. Only iffff-- 

"All right, rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty! C'mon, hup, hup, hup!" That salamander would shut up. However, Pidge wasn't inside her tent. 

"I'm not an idiot, Mushu." Pidge said, rolling her eyes as she was putting on her shoes, outside. Mushu blinked in surprise. 

"But...I made you breakfast...." Pidge chuckled. 

"That's cute." Mushu frowned. 

"It's not cute! Now, remember, it's your first day of training, so listen to your teacher and no fighting, play nice with the other kids, unless, of course, the other kids want to fight, then you gotta kick the other kid's butt." Pidge smirks and shakes her head at Mushu. 

"That's my tough looking warrior! That's what I'm talking about! Now, get out there and make me proud!" Mushu said, smiling. Pidge rolled her eyes and straightened her back. 

"Alright. Let's go!" She rushes away.

"Wait, you forgot your sword! My little baby, off to destroy people..." Mushu said, sniffling. The cricket face-palmed and the horse shook his head in disapprovement. If Pidge was his child? Pretty sure she'd be dead. 

"Order! People, order!" Coran yelled at the group of soldiers. A recruit decided he wanted to be funny. 

"I'd like a pan-fried noodle!" Hunk gasped. 

"Sweet and pungent shrimp!" Coran rolled his eyes. 

"That's not funny-- agh..whatever." Coran said, leaving. The men laughed. Pidge was standing in the back, trying not to stand out too much, especially to not be seen by the trio. 

"Looks like our new friend is lonely this morning. Why, hello, Pidge, Are ya hungry?" Keith said, smiling. Pidge hissed. It was the mullet guy. 

"Yeah, cause I owe you a knuckle sandwich." Lotor said. Pidge chuckled as she tried to shrink in fear. 

"Soldiers!" Everyone fell in line immediately. Lance emerged towards a barrel with sticks and-- holy Jesus those abs...were his shoulders this broad yesterday as well?! The hell does he eat? Concrete?!-- SNAP OUT OF IT PIDGE! 

"You will assemble swiftly and silently, every morning. Anyone who does otherwise, will answer to me." He takes off his shirt, and Pidge stares in awe. Okaayyy...maybe she was staring and maybe she can't snap out of it. But anyone with a body like that should be illegal. 

"Ooh, tough guy~" Keith said, rolling his eyes, as Lance passed. Lance stopped. 

"Keith." He froze and stiffened. Lance pulls out a bow and arrow and aims it at Keith , then at the top of a high pole in the middle of the camp. Keith sighed in relief. 

"Thank you for volunteering. Retrieve the arrow." Keith stared at it and cracked his knuckles. 

"I'll get that arrow, pretty boy, and I'll do it with my shirt on." He walks over to the pole and prepares to climb up it.

"One moment, you seem to be missing something." He pulls two giant medals out of a box. Pidge's eyes widen. 

"A resistance and strength test...Those seem to be solid bronze...Judging by how dense they're made they might weight three...times...his......mass..." Pidge stops as she notices Shiro, Hunk, Keith and Lotor eyeing her. She smiles awkwardly. 

"This represents discipline. And this represents strength. You need both to reach the arrow." He ties them around Keith's wrists, and all the soldiers after him, and none of them can make it to the arrow. Lance sighs, rubbing his neck as he watches all of them fail. 

"We've got a long way to go..." Lance says. He throws them all sticks. Keith however takes Pidge's and sweeps it under her feet, making her fall. Lance shows them a trick where he picks up two vases with his stick, twirls it, throws the vases in the air and manages to somehow break them before they hit the ground by smashing them with the stick. Pidge watched amazed. The soldiers frowned and put out their sticks as well. 

"Did they send me daughters...when I asked for sons?" Lance said. Lotor however, decided to mess with Pidge by putting a bug in her clothes. It crawled and because of it, she started tripping people and knocking them over. 

"You're the saddest bunch I ever met, but you can bet before we're through....Somehow I'll make a man out of you." He said as he jumped over the pile of knocked off soldiers and got to Pidge then proceeded to take her stick. She squirmed a bit more until she finally got her bug out. 

The next exercise they tried was a shooting one. Lance threw up three fruits and managed to hit them with his arrows and into the marked spots on the tree in front of him. Pidge watched in awe, but as she did? Mushu managed to somehow put her fruit on the arrow already. She turned back only to see the fruit then realized Lance just came behind her and sighed, letting her head fall with a small groan. Damned salamander...

"Heh...this is NOT what it looks like?" Lance gave her a new arrow. 

The next exercise was holding a bucket on your head while defending yourself from rocks. But Keith decided to play dirty when her turn came and hit the bucket to make it fall on her head. She managed to still hit one of the rocks, even blinded. But the rock was aimed at Lance so he had to dodge. He looked at Pidge with narrowed eyes. She chuckled warily as she lifted the bucket off of her head. 

"I'll...I'll go fill it..." She said, slouching down. 

The next exercise was catching fish with your hands. They were in a small river and were trying to catch fish. But Keith decided to grab Pidge's foot instead. She sat up and spurted out the water that got in. Keith laughed at her so she grabbed his ankle and pulled, getting him soaked. 

Another exercise was trying to run from flaming arrows...or smashing bricks with your head...Pidge even had to fight Lance but instead, ended up with a black eye. There was an exercise about walking on pillars above water, but Hunk can't swim so he was taking things slow...even if he was the first in the line. When they had to launch cannons, Lotor casually knocked hers over which got her face pretty ash-y and she hit Coran's tent. They had to carry weights up the mountain. Keith and Lotor tempered with hers. Lance had to come and pick hers up. He noticed something was wrong with hers but said nothing and carried on, frowning. 

After a whole week of incidents like this, Lance decided it was better for her to leave. He came to her with her horse. 

"You're unsuited for the rage of war so pack up, go home, you're through...How could I make a man out of you?" Pidge frowned and snarled then turned around. But as he was leaving, he could hear her grumbling. 

"I'll show him...I can finally use my brain for something useful. Strengths and-- strengths my ass! It would help if they would stop tempering with my shit but nooo--" His interest was peaked but decided better against it and went to sleep. Pidge went and picked up the bronze medal. 

"Let's have some fun, babies." She said, smirking as she went up to the giant pillar in the center. She jumped and tied the two together, using her feet to hold herself against the pillar and she started climbing. It was sunrise when she was almost there. Hunk was first to notice. 

"Holy...Guys....G-GUYS GUYS! IT'S PIDGE!! SHE'S GETTING THE ARROW!" He yelled from his tent. People started gathering as she was climbing up. Keith frowned as she was slipping.

"DON'T GIVE UP, PIDGE!" Keith yelled. Lotor and Hunk looked at Keith with wide eyes. Shiro smirked and looked up as well.

"YOU CAN DO IT! YOU'RE SO CLOSE!" Everyone started cheering for her and she watched in disbelief. She smirked and used all her strength to get back on her feet. 

Lance exited his tent that morning thanks to the noise, only to get an arrow thrown at his feet. He looked up to see Pidge, up on the pillar, both medals on her shoulder, smiling down at him. His eyes widened in surprise. The weakest of the group...And then 'the brain' part of her grumbling clicked for him. He then decided to have a talk with Keith, Lotor, Shiro and Hunk. And they agreed to leave her alone. Lance couldn't believe how he didn't see Pidge's gift before. She managed to start a fight without being in one, she was sneakily cheating and she always seemed to mutter to herself and mumble. She had the gift of thinking. But she wasn't bad in athletics either. As soon as the others stopped intervening, he saw her growth. She threw in some good kicks in their fights and he wasn't even able to beat her anymore, which scared him. She would go ahead with her weights which, surprisingly he forgot to adjust from the prank. She was one of his best soldiers, truly up there with Shiro, Keith, Lotor and Hunk (probably in that order). 

He was proud...and he was pretty sure he might feel something else for Pidge as well. Pidge Holt somehow managed to catch his attention. Thank God he was bisexual, huh? 

* * *

Zarkon cuts the top off a tree. The hawk flies overhead and drops a small doll. He inspects it and smiles crudely. He jumps down from the tree and throws the doll to Zethrid. Ezor immediately goes to her side and so does Sendak. 

"What do you see?" Zarkon asks, smirking. 

"Black pine...from the high mountains!" Zethrid says. 

"White horse hair...Imperial stallions!" Ezor says. 

"Sulphur...from cannons!" Sendak adds. They all frown. Zarkon however, keeps smiling. 

"This doll came from a village in the Tung Show Pass, where the Imperial Army is waiting." He says to his army. 

"We can avoid them easily." Sendak said. Zarkon chuckles. 

"No. The quickest way to the emperor is through that pass. Besides~ the little girl will be missing her doll. We should return it to her." The Huns all start laughing as they get ready to leave. A nice surprise won't hurt. Will it? 

* * *

"Hey, this is not a good idea. What if somebody sees you?" Mushu says, scared. 

"Just because I look like a man doesn't mean I have to smell like one." Pidge said, rolling her eyes. That's right, she was taking a bath at night in the lake. She was now getting undressed. 

"So a couple guys don't rinse out their socks. Picky, picky, picky. Myself, I kinda like that corn-chip smell." Pidge tippy toed and jumped in the water. She sighed when she got in and let herself get soaked. Mushu frowned. 

"Okay, all right, alright, that's enough, now c'mon, get out before you get all pruney and stuff." Pidge snorted. 

"I just got in! Hell no! if you're so worried, go stand watch!" She said. The dragon groaned and started walking. 

"Yeah, yeah. Stand watch, Mushu, while I blow our secret with my stupid girly habits. Hygiene." He said towards the Cricket. But that's when Lotor, Keith and Hunk decided to go in the water. 

"We're doomed! There're a couple of things I KNOW they're bound to notice!" Mushu said, panicked. They jumped in the water and Pidge hid behind the surface. Welp...shit. She slid behind a rock and hoped they won't notice her and her umm....body. The three were laughing when Keith noticed her. 

"Oh! Hey, Pidge!" Keith called. She chuckled warily. 

"Oh, hi, guys, I didn't know you were HERE. I was just washing so now I'm clean and I'm gonna go. Bye-bye." She hid behind the rock. 

"Come back here! I know we were jerks to you before, so let's start over. Hi, I'm Lotor. Pleasure." Lotor said, swimming close. Wayyyy too close for comfort. She had one hand across her chest, just in case. Thank God Mother Nature decided Pidge needed peaches instead of watermelons. That's when behind her came Hunk. 

"And I'm Hunk! Oh...sorry, am I too close?" Pidge smiled at how sweet he was out of the three. 

"Hi. Umm, I think s--" But she got interrupted as Keith climbed on a rock. 

"And I'm Keith!" Pidge shielded her eyes right after he flashed her. 

"Big coc--....what the fuck are you doing on that stone?" Pidge asked, raising a brow, still shielding her eyes with her hand. 

"I am King of the Rock! And there's nothing you girls can do about it." Lotor laughed at Keith's comment. 

"Oh yeah? Well, I think Pidge and I can take you!" Pidge chuckled and started swimming away. 

"I really don't want to take him anywhere-- I mean take him on--" Pidge said, starting to grow uncomfortable. 

"But, Pidge! We have to fight!" Lotor pleaded. Pidge shook her head. 

"No, we don't. We could just close our eyes, and...swim around!" She suggested. Lotor frowned, pulling her back. 

"C'mon! Don't' be such a...OW! Something bit me!" Lotor yelled. Pidge saw Mushu come to the surface. 

"What a nasty flavor...ew." Lotor's eyes widened. 

"SNAKEEEE!" He yelled. While Keith, Hunk and Lotor are shrieking, Pidge whistles for Khan and sneaks away. The three were now huddled on the rock.

"Some King of the Rock..." Lotor said. Keith pushed Lotor off, the latter shrieking. 

"Boy, that was close." Pidge said with a sigh. Mushu spat as he was washing his teeth and mouth. 

"No, that was vile. You owe me big!" Mushu started muttering something and Pidge groaned. 

"I never want to see a naked man again--" A herd of them flashes right by them. Pidge blinks in surprise. 

"I know they said you needed big dick to be in the army but dammm---" 

"DON'T! Finish that sentence. You nasty girl. Sheesh. Also...I ain't biting no more butts!" Pidge snorted. 

"Sounds fair. Come on. Let's go." 

* * *

Pidge was passing by the Captain's tent when she heard it. 

"You think your troops are ready to fight? Hah! They wouldn't last a minute against the Huns!" Coran said. Lance snarled at him. 

"They completed their training." Lance added. Coran scoffed. 

"Those boys are no more fit to be soldiers than you are to be captain. Once the general reads my report, your troops will never see battle!!" Coran added. Lance's eyes widened at the insult. Mushu, who was listening from outside, snarled. 

"Oh, no, you don't! I've worked too hard to get Pidge into this war! This guy's messing with my plans!" He said. Lance got up and grabbed Coran's tablet. 

"We're not finished!" Lance said. Coran snatched the tablet away and narrowed his eyes. 

"Be careful, Captain. The general may be your father, but I am the Emperor's Council. And, oh, by the way, I got that job on my own. You're dismissed." Pidge frowned as Lance stormed out of the tent. The dark skinned boy blinked in surprise as he saw Pidge outside. 

"Want me to hold him so you can punch?" Lance snorted at her offer than actually started laughing. 

"I would if I could..." He said, passing her. Pidge bit her lip and turned around. 

"For what it's worth...I think you're a great captain.." Lance stopped and blushed. He turned to her and smiled. 

"Thanks...But I need some air--" Pidge's eyes widened. 

"Oh! Then excuse me if I may be overstepping by boundaries but...I do know a place?" Lance quirked a brow. 

"And that would be...?" Pidge smirked. 

"Follow me." She said, grabbing his arm and pulling her after him. 

* * *

Mushu and Cricket were now in Pidge's tent as she was off with Lance.

"I think it's time we took this war into our own hands." Cricket types out a letter, like a typewriter.

"Okay, lemme see what you've got....From General Lee. 'Dear Son, we're waiting for the Huns at the pass. It would mean a lot of you'd come and back us up.' Hmm. That's great, except that you forgot, 'and since we're out of potpourri, perhaps you wouldn't mind bringing up some!' HELLO! This is the army! Make it sound a little urgent, please. You know what I'm talking about?" Mushu said. The Cricket nodded and started typing again. 

"That's better, much better! Let's go!" 

* * *

"Ok...where are you taking me--...holy..." Lance said as Pidge brings him into a clearing with only one tree. Lance looks up to see all the stars and then starts climbing after Pidge, who doesn't even bother and just jumps from one branch to the other. 

"When did you discover this place...?" Lance said, looking at the camp in awe. Pidge smirks. 

"Around the first few days...Umm...I'll be honest I was pretty bummed down at the fact those guys kept messing with my stuff..." Lance frowned. 

"Are they still doing it? I can put them in their place--" Pidge shook her head vigorously. 

"No no no! We're friends now actually...hah..." Lance nodded. 

"Also...umm...you're way smarter than you look...if I may add...From an object point of view, of course." Pidge looked at him, amused. Lance coughed. 

"Because of the...you know...compliment..." Pidge snorted and started laughing. Lance frowned. 

"What..?" He asked. Pidge chuckled. 

"Only my brother said that to me. Hah!" Lance smirks and chuckles as well. 

"I...I actually have some sisters at home...and two brothers." Pidge perked up. She sighed. 

"Then you know how hard it is for them, huh...?" Lance looks down and frowns. 

"You could say that..." Pidge chuckles. 

"When a friend of mine went to meet the Matchmaker a cricket got inside and the Matchmaker ended up falling over burning coal and getting drenched in tea." Lance spurted and started howling with laughter. 

"Poor her! Because of a mistake that wasn't even her fault she was probably declared a disgrace!" Pidge's eyes widened. 

"Yes...Yes she was..." The two locked eyes for a second too long and looked away, blushing. 

"Ehem. We should...you know...get going..." 

"Yeah yeah of course." The two got off and started walking back, avoiding eye-contact. But, Pidge didn't hesitate to still make jokes about Coran's stuck up attitude which cracked Lance up. 

* * *

"Khaney~ baby. We need a ride." Mushu said as he climbed on the horses back with the cricket. Khan squirts him off, and Cricket slowly backs off. Mushu scoffs. 

"Fine, we'll improvise." 

At the lake. Laughter was roaring as Coran was walking away from the lake, drenched. 

"Insubordinate ruffians. You men owe me a new pair of slippers!" More laughter came from behind Coran. He groaned as he got the water out of his slippers. 

"And I do not squeal like a girl!" He turns to see a straw soldier ( no other than Mushu and Cricket) riding a panda bear.

"Eeeeeeek!!!" Coran said, stepping back. 

"Urgent news from the general!" Mushu said. Coran eyed the scroll in the straw soldier's hand and the panda. 

"What's the matter, you've never seen a black and white before?" Mushu says, growing a bit nervous. 

"Who are you..?" Coran asks. 

"Excuse me? I think the question should be, who are you! We're in a war, man! There's no time for stupid questions! I should have your hat for that! Snatch it right off your head! I'm feeling gracious today, so...carry on." Coran reluctantly takes the scroll. He turns and the panda starts climbing in a tree. Coran's eyes widen in horror. 

"Wha--" But the 'soldier' was already gone. 

When Coran arrived to Lance's tent, he was already back from his little 'trip' with Pidge. 

"Captain! Urgent news from the general! We're needed at the front!" Lance shot up like burned. He was excited and scared. 

"There's no time to lose!" 

* * *

The soldiers were singing to pass the time, which Pidge found quite amusing since they had a long way to go. 

" _For a long time we've been marching off to battle.  
In our thundering herd, we feel a lot like cattle.  
Like the pounding beat, our aching feet aren't easy to ignore.  
Hey! Think of instead, a girl worth fighting for!  
Huh?  
That's what I said! A girl worth fighting for! _" And that's how the mess started... Pidge looked at Lotor with a raised brow as he brought the girl part up. He smirked. 

"I want her paler than the moon, with eyes that shine like stars!" Lotor said, showing Pidge a drawing. She tilted her head at it. It was a nice drawing nonetheless. 

"My girl will marvel at my strength, adore my battle scars!" Keith said, flexing. Shiro passed by, winking. Keith flushed. 

"Or maybe I don't swing that way..." Keith said. Pidge, Lotor and Hunk snorted. 

"I couldn't care less what she'll wear, or what she looks like! It all depends on what she cooks like! Beef, pork, chicken, mmm... Shay, baby, wait for me." Pidge looked at Lotor for answers. Lotor laughed. 

"That's his girl's name. She's a sweetheart." Pidge 'aww'ed at that. She sounded lovely. 

"Bet the local girls thought you were quite the charmer!" Keith said, rolling his eyes.

"And I bet the ladies love a man in armor!" Lotor said, smirking, as he flexed.

" _You can guess what we have missed the most_  
 _Since we went off to war!_  
 _What do we want?_  
 _A girl worth fighting for!_ " As Pidge was walking, Mushu decided to whistle at the girls working in the fields. They all eyed Pidge and she blushed, looking away. They all giggled. 

"My girl will think I have no flaws~" Lotor said, puffing his chest.

"That I'm a major find!" Hunk said, daydreaming about Shay. 

"How 'bout a girl who's got a brain, who always speaks her mind...?" Pidge asked. The boys frowned and rolled their eyes. 

"Nah!" They all said. 

"My manly ways and turn of phrase and sure to thrill her!" Lotor said. Keith face-palmed. Lotor was leaning against the cannon wagon that Khan was carrying. 

"He thinks he's such a lady-killer!" Pidge looked at Lotor and slapped Khan. He immediately started walking and Lotor fell face first in the mud. 

"Woops?" She said, smirking. Keith wheezed and Hunk started laughing as Lotor narrowed his eyes at her. 

"I've a girl back home who's unlike any other!" Coran said. Pidge leaned over to the boys. 

"Yeah, the only girl who'd love him is his mother!" Lance heard her and snorted. Coran eyed all of them, narrowing his eyes. They all looked away, whistling. 

But they were getting close to the front. And what they would find there...

**_wasn't a nice surprise._ **


	4. Chapter 4

" _But when we come home, in victory_  
_They'll line up at the door!_  
_What do we want?_  
_A girl worth fighting for!_  
_Wish that I had_  
_A girl worth fighting for!_  
_A girl worth fighting--_ " Pidge, Hunk, Lotor and Keith started fighting with snowballs and they accidently hit Shiro. As he was about to hit them back, they arrived at the village. It was in ruins. The song and cheerfulness all faded as they watched the blazing fire raise and the smoke rise even higher. Pidge's eyes widened in horror as they all came to a stop. They slowly walked inside the ruins, taking in the damage. 

"What are we standing here for?! Search for survivors!" Pidge said. Lance looked at her and nodded. 

"You heard him! Start searching!" Pidge and the others all parted ways as they looked through the rubble. All Pidge found was a small doll. She gently picked it up and bowed her head down in respect. Lance came near her and dismounted his horse. He frowned. 

"I don't understand. My father should've been here..." Pidge bit her lip as the realization hit her....His father was- 

"Captain!" They turn to see a bloody battlefield full of dead Chinese soldiers. Hunk hands the general's helmet to Lance. Silence as Lance is taking the information in. Lance wanders away from the group and Pidge turns in his direction. He takes out his father's sword and lays his helmet on it. Pidge makes her way to him. 

"I'm sorry..." She says, softly. Lance gets up, not looking at her and puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Pidge eyes the sword and helmet and looks at the doll in her hands. Lance walks away and gets to his horse. He closes his eyes and all he could feel was rage...and thankfulness for Pidge's compassion. As he gets on his horse, he sees her kneeling down, laying the doll next to the sword. He watches with wide eyes as she pays her respects for the general like she knew him face to face. If he didn't know better...he'd say she wasn't fit to be a soldier. He shakes himself out of his haze as Pidge comes their way and everyone's eyes fall on him. He was Captain.

"The Huns are moving quickly. We'll make better time to the Imperial City through the Tung Show pass. We're the only hope for the Emperor now. Move out!" They start leaving. Mushu and Cricket both look at each other in sadness. 

They were walking for a while when it happened. One of the cannons went off. She didn't understand why until she saw Lance approach and looked up. Dots up on the mountain. She looked at the cart, only to see an arrow inside. Fuck-- 

"What happened? You just gave away our position--" 

"THEY KNOW WE'RE HERE! IT'S AN AMBUSH--" Pidge said, but the arrows were already pouring from up the mountain. Pidge pulled Lance off if his horse before the arrow could hit him. They rolled in the snow but the arrows missed them by an inch.

"Get out of range!" Lance demanded. Pidge scrambled on her feet and went over to Khan to try and pull him to safety with their cannons. That's when a fire arrow his the wagon. 

"FUCK!" Pidge said, stumbling as the blazes rose. Lance looked back and his mouth fell in shock. 

"Save the cannons!" The soldiers pass the cannons from the wagon to each other. The wagon gets hit by a flaming arrow, and Pidge cuts Khan's reins and mounts him. The wagon explodes, sending Mushu and Cricket flying. Pidge falls off the horse thanks to the explosion. 

"Oh, sure, save the horse." _S_ he grabs Mushu and her sword and runs over to the other soldiers. 

"Fire!" Lance yells and they start firing cannons. Pidge frowned as she watched them. An imbecile plan, they wouldn't be able to harm them properly with those. They needed a plan! The arrows however stopped. Lance put his hand up. 

"Save the last cannon." Pidge sighed in relief for at least doing that right. Pidge narrowed her eyes as the smoke was clearing. Suddenly, a horse appears on the hill. Zarkon is soon joined by hundreds of Hun soldiers. Everyone stares in shock. 

"Prepare to fight. If we die, we die with honor." The Huns charge the Chinese Army.

"Keith. Aim the cannon at Shan Yu." Keith aims the cannon. Pidge then notices a giant glacial overhang. She starts rushing towards Keith. 

"SORRY!" She says, pushing Keith away as she grabs the cannon and runs toward the Huns, aiming at the overhang. 

"PIDGE! PIDGE, YOU IDIOT, COME BACK!" Lance yelled after her, his eyes widening in horror. What was she thinking?! Frantically, as Shan Yu draws nearer, his sword raised, Pidge fumbles with the match. Come on....come on...She needs this to work. 

"Okay, you might want to light that right about now, Quickly, quickly!" Mushu says, seeing the impending doom approaching. Pidge is attacked by Zarkon's hawk, and loses the match.

"FUCK! STUPID BIRD!" She curses as she starts searching for the match in the snow. Her friends frown in concentration. 

"C'mon, we gotta help!" Keith yells as they all draw their swords and start running towards Pidge. She looks ahead only to see Zarkon getting closer. She then sees Mushu and an idea forms. 

"Sorry, salamander but you gotta act like a dragon now and- FIRE!" She said, pulling him and making a small flame ignite the fuse. Just as Zarkon got to her, the cannon goes off, scaring his horse and it hits the overhang. 

"You missed! How could you miss?! He was three feet in front of you!!!" Mushu yells, as he is sent flying with the cannon. The cannon hits the overhang with a bang, and causes an avalanche that rains down on the Hun Army. Pidge smirks in pride as Zarkon turns with horror. 

"Oops...It slipped~" She said. Zarkon roars in rage and hits Pidge in the side with his sword blade. She quickly runs away, scrambling on her feet as Zarkon's horse was panicking. Behind her, Lance, who has chased her down, was staring with his mouth agape. 

"DON'T BE AN IDIOT AND RUN!" Pidge said, pulling his arm, as she had holding an arm over her wound. The two were running towards four little heroes who as soon as they saw the avalanche? Turned around, squealing like little girls, running away for cover. Khan immediately ran to Pidge's side to help. She mounts the horse and manages to grab Lance's hand but as soon as the snow hits, they're separated. The soldiers hid behind a series of stones at the end of the hill, right in front of a canyon, leaving them unharmed. 

"PIDGE! PIDGEEEEE!" Mushu yelled as he was sliding on a Hun's shield. He pulls a Hun's head out of the snow. 

"Nope. PIDGE!!" He reaches down and pulls out Cricket.

"Man, you are one lucky bug." Mushu says, impressed. Pidge and Khan break out of the snow, trying to go up hill...But then she sees Lance and races toward him, who, unconscious, is sliding on the snow toward a cliff. 

"Shit- LANCE!" She pulls him up onto the saddle. Khan starts trying to go upstream of the falling snow. 

"DO YOU SEE THEM?!" Shiro asks, holding Keith up. Keith gasps. 

"Yes!" He fits an arrow, which is tied to a length of rope, and shoots it toward Pidge. 

"Perfect! Now I'll pull them to safety!" The rope slips through his hands.

"YOU FUCKING MORON!" Lotor exclaims, face-palming as Hunk groans. The arrow however lands next to Pidge. Mushu and Cricket hoping on Khan as well. Pidge grabs the arrow and her eyes widen. She smirks. 

"BINGO!" She exclaims, pulling back her bow to fire the arrow towards her friends.

"Aaaugh!!! We're gonna die! We're gonna die! No way we survive this! Death is coming!" Mushu yells just as Pidge shoots the arrow up when they fall off the cliff.

"I let them slip through my fingers!!" Keith says, exasperated, putting his hands forward, as Shiro pats him on the back. They all blink in surprise as the arrow, complete with rope, lands in his hands. He is dragged toward the cliff edge, soldiers jumping on top of him to stop him from sliding. Finally Hunk walks over, picks all the soldiers up, and walks backward, pulling Pidge, Khan, and Lance up onto the ground. 

"I knew we could do it! You the man! Well, sort of." Mushu said. Pidge sighed in relief and started chuckling. 

"Mushu...you're a moron." He frowns but lets it slide since she almost died after all. They get pulled to safety and Khan immediately leaves from the edge as Pidge pulls Lance on the ground. Lance was panting. Lotor starts pushing people back. 

"Step back, guys. Give him some air!" Lotor says. Lance looks at Pidge. 

"Pidge, you are the craziest man I ever met. And for that, I owe you my life. From now on, you have my trust." he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. They both slightly blush until-

"Let's hear it for PIDGE! The bravest of us all!" Lotor cheers. 

"You're King of the Mountain!" Cheering. That's what Pidge can hear as her vision gets a little bit fuzzy. She tries to stand up, but collapses to the ground, gasping. Lance's eyes widen as it happens and gets on his knees, next to her. 

"Pidge What's wrong?" She moves her hands to reveal blood. Lance's eyes widen at the sight. 

"He's wounded! Get help!" She starts sinking into unconsciousness.

"Pidge, hold on. Hold on!" But then darkness took her in. 

* * *

Lance was pacing the doctor's tent, Pidge's friends sitting on a rock, watching the worried captain. The doctor emerges from his tent and says something to Lance. He looks disturbed and rushes inside. He looks at Pidge, who sits up in bed, her side bandaged. Lance stares at her, recognizing her as a girl. Pidge realizes her mistake and pulls the blanket back on. She fucked up. 

"I can explain!" She starts. Lance narrows his eyes. 

"So it's true..." He says, backing away. Pidge looks at him, pleading. 

"Lance..." Coran comes, yanking Pidge out of the tent and pulling on her hair.

"I knew there was something wrong with you! A woman! Treacherous snake! I remember you! You're that disgrace of a daughter I slapped back at the village!" 

"You slapped her?!" Lance asked with wide eyes. Pidge was in deep trouble. 

"My name is Kathlyn Holt. But my nickname is Pidge." She said, snarling, as Coran pulled her hair with more strength. 

"I did it to save my father!" Pidge said. Coran laughed drily. 

"High treason!" She frowned. 

"He was injured! He would have died in training, nonetheless in battle!" Pidge argued. 

"Ultimate dishonor!"

"It was the only way! Please, believe me!" She pleaded, getting thrown in the snow. Keith almost intervened, but Shiro stopped him. 

"Captain...?" Hunk asked, unsure, as Lance was having his back turned at her. Lance walks over to Khan and takes out Pidge's sword. The gang of three tries to rush to her , joined by Shiro, but Coran stops all of them, glaring at them. The soldier holding the horse was now having trouble holding Khan thanks to his panic for Pidge's life. 

"Restrain him." He said to the soldier. Keith slowly shook his head in disbelief. Lance turned to them, solemnly. 

"You know the law..." Coran tells the gang. Lance walks over to Pidge and frowns. Pidge lowers her head and Lance freezes at the action. Did she actually think he would kill her...? But he throws the sword in the snow in front of her. She looks at it in surprise. 

"A life for a life. My debt is repaid." He says, bitterly. 

"Move out!" He says to the soldiers. 

"But you can't just--" Coran tried to add. Keith pushed Coran. 

"He said 'Move out!' so shut it!" Keith added. The group of friends thankful for the fact she wasn't killed, sighed in relief. They all left, a bit reluctantly, leaving Pidge to make herself warm with a blanket and cradling herself next to the horse with a small basket of food. 

I was this close. This close! To impressing the ancestors, getting the top shelf, in entourage...man. All my fine work." Mushu says as he uses the tip of an arrow to roast a piece of food over a tiny fire. Pidge lowers her head. 

"Hey C'mon. You wanted to save your father's life. Who knew you'd end up shaming him, disgracing your ancestors and losing all your friends. Y'know, you just gotta...just gotta learn to let these things go." Mushu said, not making anything better, as the small fire put out. 

"Maybe I didn't go for my father. Maybe what I really wanted was to prove that I could do things right. So that when I looked in the mirror..." She picks up her helmet and looks into it.

"I'd see someone worthwhile. But I was wrong. I see nothing." She said, tossing it away. Mushu looked at it. 

"Hey, that's just cause this needs a little spit, that's all." He spits on the helmet.

"Let me shine this up for you. I can see you, lookit you, you look so pretty!"

"The truth is, we're both frauds. Your ancestors didn't send me; they don't even like me. I mean, you risked your life to help people you love. I risked your life to help myself. At least you had good intentions..." Mushu said, looking down. Cricket starts crying.

"What do you mean, you're not lucky! You...lied to me?" Cricket nods. Mushu turns to Khan.

"And what are you, a sheep?" Khan scoffs. 

"'ll have to face my father sooner or later. Let's go home."

"Yeah. This ain't gonna be pretty. But don't u worry, okay? Things will work out. We started this thing together and that's how we'll finish it. I promise." Mushu said, hugging Pidge. She smiled and hugged him back.

The shadow of a hawk flies overheard, and around a bend. Zarkon climb out of the snow and looks around. He lets out a roar. Soon he is joined by Zethrid, Ezor, Sendak and two more of his soldiers. They start down the path toward the Imperial City. Pidge watches them, grabs her sword, mounts Khan and turns after the Huns. Mushu stares at her with wide eyes. 

"Uh, home is that way??" He asks, pointing the other way. Pidge frowns at the small dragon. 

"I have to do something!" Mushu's mouth falls open in shock. 

"Did you see those Huns?! They popped out of the snow! LIKE DAISIES!" Mushu yelled, exasperated. 

"Are we in this together, or not?" Pidge asks, frowning. Mushu frowns then smirks. 

"Let's go kick some Honey Bunch!" He and Cricket jump on Khan, and they ride down the mountain, whooping. 

Those Huns won't even know what hit them. Because...let's be honest everyone thought she was a boy. 


	5. Chapter 5

The Imperial city. The place was packed with people and in the main parade was Pidge's team. The Huns were here somewhere. 

"Make way for the heroes of China!" Someone exclaimed in the front. But Pidge didn't care. She rode right besides Lance on Khan like it was nothing. 

"Lance!" The captain's eyes widened. 

"Pidge?!" 

"The Huns are alive! They're in the city!" She said. Lance scoffed and frowned, kicking his horse to go faster. 

"You don't belong here, Kathlyn. Go home." Pidge snarled and went ahead after him. 

"Lance, I saw them in the mountains! You have to believe me!" She said. Lance frowned. 

"Why should I?" Lance asked. Pidge narrowed her eyes. 

"Why else would I come back? You said you'd trust Pidge. Why is Katie any different? I don't think you realize...But I am STILL Pidge." She said, her eyes narrowing even more as she spat out the words. She looked at her friends and sighed.

"Keep your eyes open. I know they're here. Yah!" Pidge said, going on ahead. She gets to a sea of people and dismounts Khan. Mushu looked with wide eyes. 

"Now where are you going?" The small dragon asked. Pidge had a determined look. 

"To find someone who will believe me!" She hurries off into the crowd, asking people left and right for help. But she was now a woman...It was useless...

Meanwhile, The Chinese Army climbs the steps to the Great Palace, followed by the Chinese Dragon. The Emperor meets them. His daughter by his side.

"My children! Heaven smiles down upon the Middle Kingdom! China will sleep safely tonight, thanks to our brave warriors!" The Emperor said. Everyone cheered. Allira clapped her hands in excitement. The soldiers all knelt down. 

"Your Majesty, I present to you the sword of Zarkon." Lance said, giving Emperor Alfor a sword. He smiled at the present and reached to take it. 

"I know what this means to you, Captain McLain. Your father would have been very proud." Lance smiled softly at that. But that's when Zarkon's hawk swoops down and grabs the sword. It flaps up to the roof, where a line of stone gargoyles are resting. One of the gargoyles moves and takes the sword. Huns jump out of the Chinese Dragon. One of them grabs the Emperor and takes him into the palace.

"FATHER!" Allura yells. Lance's eyes widen. 

"NO!" The Captain yells. 

"C'mon!" Keith says. They run up to the palace, but the Huns close the great doors. On the roof, Zarkon laughs. 

"You have to help my father! Please!" Allura pleaded. The Chinese Army uses a statue to try to break into the palace.

"Idiots...They'll never reach him in time..." Pidge says, face-palming. She whistles loudly. They all turn to her in surprise. 

"HEY, GUYS! I've got an idea!" Pidge says as she starts going to the side of the building. Keith, Hunk, Lotor and Shiro look at each other and Shiro is the first one to let go of the statue. 

"Shiro?!" Keith says with wide eyes. The bicolored hair man smirks. 

"The hell are we waiting for? That's PIDGE we're talking about." Hunk let's go next then both Lotor and Keith. Lance watches with his mouth agape as the four start going after her. Pidge helps the four undress from the armor and gives them disguises as women, hiding their weapons and armor underneath the dresses. They all go to the pillars and Pidge takes out her ribbon. The men look at her and do the same with a determined look. They smile at Pidge and she smiles back at them. But then a hand touches her shoulder. 

"Lance?!" He smiled apologetically and took off his cape. Pidge beamed and started climbing first. The others follow her. 

The Huns had taken the Emperor up on the balcony. Alfor watched down the sea of scared and cowering people. He knew better than call for help in front of these barbarians. Zarkon dropped off the roof and smirked. 

"Boo. Your walls and armies have fallen. And now it's your turn. Bow to me." The Emperor just turned his head, pretending to hear nothing. Zarkon's goons closed the doors to the balcony. Pidge watched as they stood guard and smirked. 

"Okay. Any questions?" Pidge asked. Lotor put his hand up. 

"Does this dress make me look fat?" Keith smacks Lotor. 

"OW! Ok ok sheesh...Man, I pity you Pidge..." Pidge scoffs. 

"You and my brother...Now go go go!" Pidge opened her paper fan with a small move of her wrist and the 5 men watched with wide eyes. They opened their slowly and started walking towards the Huns and giggling. Zethrid snarled and lifted her sword but Ezor stopped her. 

"Concubines." Ezor said. The other one lowered her sword and narrowed her eyes. 

"Ugly concubines." Ezor tilted her head. 

"Apart from the small one. She's cute~" Ezor said, smiling and wiggling her fingers at Pidge. Lance narrows his eyes at that and snarls from his hiding spot. Zethrid smacked Ezor for that. 

"Ow..." An bitten apple rolls out of Lotor's dress. One of the guards picks it up. Pidge almost face-palms. 

"You dimwit..." She says through her teeth at Lotor. The hawk notices Lance hiding, and tries to call out, but Mushu breaths fire and torches him. One less thing to deal with. 

"Now that's what I call Mongolian barbeque." Mushu said. The cricket laughed at his joke. Back with our lovely 'ladies', Ezor hands the apple to Lotor, but the gang all pull fruit out of their dresses (except Pidge, of course) and attack the guards. 

"Lance, GO!" Pidge says to Lance as the fight continues and the Captain runs up the stairs and into the room where Zarkon and the Emperor are. 

"I tire of your arrogance, old man. Bow to me!" Zarkon yelled.

"No matter how the wind howls, the mountain cannot bow to it." Alfor said. 

"Then you will kneel...in pieces!" He swings the sword but Lance rushes in and blocks it. He is swung around a pillar, and then kicks Zarkon in the face.

"Hunk, get the Emperor!" Pidge yelled as they all came upstairs.

"Sorry, your Majesty." He picks up the Emperor, and, using his silk belt, slides down the cord paper lanterns are strung on. Pidge helps Lance up and he jumps and slides using his cape. That's when Zarkon tries to go after them. Pidge pulls him back and cuts the rope. The crowd cheers but as Pidge's friends look up at the falling rope, their concern raises...

"PIDGE!" Lance yelled with wide eyes. 

"You! You took away my victory...WHO ARE YOU, WHORE?" Pidge looks at him and smirks. 

"Just a little someone." She said. Then it hit Zarkon. 

"You...You are the soldier from the mountains. He chases after Pidge. She slams the door shut, and he rams his fist through the wood. She is joined by Mushu and Cricket, riding the feather-less hawk.

"So what's the plan?" She asks.

"Ummmmm..."

"YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAN?"

 ****"Hey, I'm making this up as I ... go ..." As they pass a window she notices a pile of fireworks and two men.

"Mushu--" She says. The dragon smirks. 

"Way ahead of you, sister! C'mon, Cricket!" They jump onto a paper kite decoration and float across to the tower. Zarkon attacks Pidge, and she shinnies up a pole. Zarkon cuts down the pole, and Pidge and the pole go through the wall.

"PIDGE!" Lance yells, stepping forward in worry. Pidge jumps up and grabs onto the roof and pulls herself up. She looks across to where Mushu and Cricket are gathering ammunition.

"Citizens. I need firepower!" Mushu said. 

"Who are you?" Mushu, looking fierce, smirks.

"Your worst nightmare." The two men jump off the tower. 

"Look! On the roof!" Someone exclaims, pointing up. Her friends and everyone in the crowd points up. Pidge backs along the roof, measuring the distance with her hands. Zarkon crashes through the roof and raises his sword. Pidge pulls out a paper fan. Zarkon smirked. 

"Guess you're out of ideas." He stabs the sword through the fan. Pidge turns it around and readies the sword. She smirks. 

"Not quite. Ready, Mushu?" She says. He, with a rocket strapped to his back, smirks. 

"I am ready, baby!" He breaths fire on a stick and hands it to Cricket.

"Light me!" Pidge kicks Zarkon in the face, then trips him and pins his shirt to the ground with the sword. Cricket lights the fuse, and the rocket slams Zarkon straight into the firework tower.

"Get off the roof, get off the roof!" As the fireworks explode, she jumps, catches a lantern and swings down the cord, then drops onto Lance, who is running up the stairs. Zarkon's sword and Mushu land nearby. The two roll on the ground. 

"That was a deliberate attempt on my life! Where is she?! Now she's done it! What a mess!" Coran says, coming closer. Lance, Shiro, Keith, Lotor and Hunk immediately hurry to shield Pidge. Coran snarls. Allura watches with wide eyes. 

"Stand aside, that creature's not worth protecting!" Coran says. Lance frowns. 

"She's a hero!" Lance argued. 

"She's a woman. She'll never be worth anything!" Coran said back to him. Lance snarled and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. 

"Listen, you pompous little--" 

"That is enough!" Alfor says, coming forth with his daughter. 

"Your Majesty, I can explain! Please--" Lance pleaded. The Emperor raises a hand and the Gang moves to the side, revealing Pidge. She bows down. 

"I've heard a great deal about you, Kathlyn Holt. You stole your father's armor, ran away from home, impersonated a soldier, deceived your commanding officer, dishonored the Chinese Army, destroyed my palace!....But you were the wisest soldier... And you have saved us all." The Emperor said. He bows to her, and row by row, every person in the Imperial City bows to her. Pidge looks around in shock, almost tearing up. 

"Our little baby is all grown up and saving China!" Mushu said. 

"Coran!" The Emperor said. Allura smiled at her father as she knew what was coming. 

"Your Excellency?" Coran said. 

"See that this woman is made a member of my council." The Emperor added. 

"What? There are no council positions open, your Majesty!" Coran said, smirking. 

"Very well. You can have his job." Coran's eyes widened as Allura gasped in excitement. 

"Wha?...My?..." He faints in shock. Pidge smiles and bows down. 

"With all due respect, your Excellency, I think I've been away from home long enough. I shall always be ready to help you, your Highness." She said. The Emperor smiled. 

"Then take this, so your family will know what you have done for me. And this so the world will know what you have done for China." He hands her a pendant and the sword of Zarkon. Pidge smiled and bowed again. She takes the gifts, then hugs the Emperor. 

"Is she allowed to do that?" Lotor whispers. Keith, Shiro and Hunk shrug. Pidge steps away and hugs the Gang, then walks over to Lance. She beams at him and he blushes.

"Um...you...You fight good." Lance said, rubbing his neck. Keith, Lotor, Shiro and Hunk all face-palm. Allura face-palms as well. 

"Oh. Thank you...." She says, disappointed, then mounts her horse. 

"Khan, let's go home." As she rides away, everyone cheers. Lance looks after her and sighs. Allura comes forth. 

"The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all." She says. Lance's eyes widen. 

"Your Majesty?" She smiles at him. 

"You don't meet a girl like that every dynasty!" She said, giggling, as she started leaving. Lance looked at took on a determined look. 

* * *

Pidge approaches her father and brother, who are both sitting under the cherry trees. She kneels in front of them. 

"Pidge!" Matt said, getting on his feet. Her father's eyes widen. 

"Father! Brother! I've brought you the sword of Zarkon. And the Crest of the Emperor! They're gifts to honor the Holt Family." Her brother and father stare dumbfound at the gifts then they both drop them and kneel to hug her. 

"The greatest gift in honor is having you for a daughter, Katie." Her father said. 

"I've missed you so much..." Matt said, squeezing tighter. Pidge smiled and put her arms around them. 

"I've missed you too, Matt...Papa..." She said. They all smiled. The mother and grandmother watched from afar. 

"Huh. She brings home a sword. If you ask me she should've brought home a man!" Her Nonna says. That's when someone coughs behind them. It was Lance. 

"Excuse me, does Katie Holt live here?" Nonna and Colleen point, dumbstruck. 

"Thank you." Lance said, bowing his head. The two stare as he walks towards the group of three. Nonna whistles. 

"Woo! Sign me up for the next war!" She said. Colleen frowned. 

"Mom!" She said. The woman laughed. 

"Honorable Sam Holt and Matt Holt, I-- Pidge! Uhhhh...you forgot your helmet. Well, actually it's your helmet, isn't it, I mean--" Lance said, a bit nervous. Pidge smiled. 

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" She said as she took the helmet. Matt's mouth fell. 

"Excuse yo--" Her father hit Matt with his cane and Matt wheezed and yelped. Sam then gestured for them to carry on. Lance smiled as he looked in Pidge's eyes. 

"Would you like to stay forever?" Nonna yelled from behind them. They both chuckled. 

"Dinner would be great." Lance said, smiling. 

In the end, Mushu got his spot as a guardian back, Lance and Pidge got married after they had to tie Matt up so he wouldn't jump Lance and the Emperor became a friend of Pidge's thanks to Allura who was more than happy to have Pidge as her best friend. Coran warmed up (a bit) towards Pidge and everything has been going great since. 

_**The End** _


End file.
